Pitfalls in qpcr. Primer and probe design and synthesis. Mary Span Eurogentec S.A.

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1 Pitfalls in qpcr Primer and probe design and synthesis Mary Span Eurogentec S.A.

2 Steps in qpcr assay Set up experiment statistical relevant # samples/experimental group controls Design and synthesis primers and probes RNA extraction quality of RNA Reverse Transcription reaction one step or two step reaction qpcr reaction singleplex or multiplex Data analysis 2

3 PCR efficiency High PCR efficiency high accuracy high reproducibility PCR efficiency influenced by length of amplicon GC content of amplicon secondary structures in primers, probes, amplicons concentration reaction components PCR inhibitors/pcr enhancers quality RNA/cDNA 3

4 PCR efficiency Easiest way to determine PCR efficiency: standard curve with R 2 close to 1,00 and intercept close to -3,32 Exponential amplification = 10 (-1/slope) Efficiency = 10 (-1/slope) -1 4

5 PCR efficiency 100% PCR efficiency every PCR cycle amount of DNA is doubled 2x dilution curve ΔCt of 1 between every dilution 10x dilution curve ΔCt of 3,2 between every dilution Variation coefficient (R 2 ) indication how well data points lie on one straight line low R 2 indication for pipetting mistakes, inaccurate way of working, diluting out inhibitory factors 5

6 Why do you need a good design? Well-designed primers and probes are a prerequisite for successful RT qpcr in terms of high PCR efficiencies specific PCR products no co-amplification of genomic DNA no amplification of pseudogenes most sensitive results 6

7 Design makes the difference! Comparison between two different primer-probe sets for 18S rrna using same reaction components and experimental conditions 121 bp amplicon 190 bp amplicon 7

8 Design guidelines for primers Primers length bases GC content 30-80% (ideally 40-60%) Tm 63-67ºC (ideally 64ºC), so that Tannealing is 58-62ºC (ideally 59ºC) ΔTm forward primer and reverse primer < 4ºC avoid mismatches between primers and target, especially towards the 3 end of the primer avoid runs of identical nucleotides, especially of 3 or more Gs or Cs at the 3 end avoid 3 end T (allows mismatching) avoid complementarity within the primers to avoid hairpins (check using a software) avoid complementarity between the primers, especially at 2 or more bases at the 3 ends of the primers to avoid primer-dimers (check using a software) design intron spanning or flanking primers to avoid co-amplification of genomic DNA (only possible in multiple exon genes, in single exon genes perform DNase I treatment of samples with RNase free DNase (Vandesompele, 2002)) # Positions of exons and introns can be found in NCBI LocusLink databases ( 8

9 Intron spanning/flanking primers Intron spanning primers Forward Reverse Exon 1 Exon 2 Exon 3 gdna No amplification Forward Reverse Exon 1 Exon 2 Exon 3 cdna Amplification 9

10 Intron spanning/flanking primers Intron flanking primers Forward Reverse Exon 1 Exon 2 Exon 3 gdna Large amplicon* Forward Reverse Exon 1 Exon 2 Exon 3 cdna Small amplicon* * Can be detected via melt curve 10

11 Design guidelines for probes 5 Exonuclease probes length bases (>30 bases required, use internal quencher on dt around 20 th base) Optimal: 20 lengths over 30 bases are possible, but it is recommended to position the quencher not at the 3 end, but internally bases from the 5 end GC content Tm 30-80% Tm of the probe must be 8-10 C higher than the Tm of the primers (8 C for genotyping, 10 C for expression profiling) select the strand that gives the probe more Cs than Gs place probe as close as possible to primers without overlapping them avoid mismatched between probe and target avoid runs of identical nucleotides, especially of 4 or more Gs avoid 5 end G (quenches the fluorophore) avoid complementarity of the probe with either of the primers (check using a software) for multiplex assays: for genotyping position the polymorphism in the center of the probe adjust the probe length so that both probes have the same Tm 11

12 Design guidelines for amplicons Amplicon length for SYBR green I assays: bp shorter amplicons will give higher PCR efficiencies longer amplicons will give a higher Δ Rn as more SYBR green I is incorporated length for 5 exonuclease probe assays: bp shorter amplicons will give higher PCR efficiencies shorter amplicons will give more efficient 5 nuclease reactions GC content 30-80% (ideally 40-60%) avoid secundary structures in the amplicon (check with Mfold: check if generate amplicon is unique by submitting primers (and probe) to a BLAST search ( 12

13 Frequent pitfalls I do already have existing primers of a normal PCR, but can not find a good probe to fit them. What should I do? Although it is disappointing to hear, it is best to do the design from scratch. The criteria for primers are less stringent as for probes. I have used a design software to design my primers and probes, but it do not get them to work properly A design software is not a 100% guarantee to get a good primer/probe set, but is a good tool to make your life easier Especially with SYBR green I assays; try several primer sets as in silico differs from experimental 13

14 Frequent pitfalls The design software that I use can not find a suggestion, although the sequence if have inserted is more than 500 bases long It is not always possible to design a primer/probe set for a specific sequence due to GC/AT rich sequences, repeats or secundary structures) In most cases you can already see the most homogenous part of your sequence by eye. This is the best part to design your primers and probe on Sometimes you can force the software to design a primer-probe set by changing the parameters like ampilicon length, primer length, Tm s or GC content 14

15 Frequent pitfalls I took the first suggestion in the list of Primer Express, but the primer/probe set does not lead to good results The first suggestion in the list of Primer Express is the shortest amplicon, not the best primer/probe set With the recommended temperature profile I obtain an amplicon, but the detection does not function due to the probe, which is not binding Each software uses its own method of calculating the Tm and there can be a difference between the calculated and experimental temperature If the probe does not bind to the amplicon then the annealing temperature is too high in comparison to the Tm of the probe Check Tm using several softwares. If Tm s differ > 3ºC check Tm experimentally 15

16 Predicted vs. experimental Tm Source: ABI User Bulletin 6 ABI PRISM Sequence Detection System 16

17 Probe too long or Tm too low? AT rich sequence: long probes required to reach correct Tm SNP detection: short probes required to increase specificity With LNA bases length probes can be decreased or Tm can be increased Conformation change from B helix to A helix due to LNAs 17

18 Example probe assay Jump in dilution series caused by secondary structure in primer 18

19 Example SYBR green I assay Ct s of all dilutions around same point due to primer dimers 19

20 Choice of fluorophore and quencher is part of a good design Well-chosen fluorophores and quenchers are a prerequisite for successful RT qpcr in terms of maximal fluorescence minimal back ground maximal signal-to-noise ration maximal sensitivity 20

21 Design guidelines for fluorophores and quenchers Fluorophores choose fluorophore that fits your real-time thermocycler choose fluorophore with high level of fluorescence (weak fluorescence: JOE, TAMRA) choose fluorophore with narrow spectrum and one emission maximum avoid fluorophores that require manual coupling (i.e. ROX) multiplex qpcr: Quenchers choose fluorophores that are spectrally well seperated choose quencher that fits fluorophore (emission spectrum of fluorophore must have substantial overlap with absorption spectrum quencher) take the fluorophore quencher combination with highest signal-to-noise ratio to obtain maximal sensitivity preferably take dark quenchers like BHQ1, 2 or 3 (are also very robust in synthesis) only in case of singleplex go for FAM-TAMRA as this is the most cost-effective combination multiplex qpcr avoid the use of TAMRA. If you must use TAMRA, use it on all probes (click on TAMRA as quencher in plate set up software) preferably use dark quenchers to avoid lost of sensitivity (click on None as quencher plate set up software) 21

22 Fluorophore has to fit real-time thermocycler Thermocycler Dye1 Dye2 Dye3 Dye4 Dye5 Dye6 Dye7 GeneAmp 5700 FAM ABI Prism 7000 FAM VIC/YY/JOE NED/TAMRA ROX ABI Prism 7700 FAM VIC/YY/JOE/TET NED/TAMRA ROX ABI Prism 7900 FAM VIC/YY/JOE/TET NED/TAMRA ROX ABI Prism 7300 FAM VIC/YY/JOE NED/TAMRA ROX ABI Prism 7500 FAM VIC/YY/JOE NED/TAMRA/Cy3 ROX/TR Cy5 i-cycler IQ FAM VIC/HEX/TET/Cy3/YY Cy3/TAMRA ROX/TR Cy5 Mx3000P FAM TET/YY HEX/JOE/VIC/YY TAMRA Cy3 TR/ROX Cy5/Alexa 350 Mx4000 FAM TET/YY HEX/JOE/VIC/YY TAMRA Cy3 TR/ROX Cy5 Rotorgene 2000 FAM TET/JOE/VIC/YY ROX/TAMRA/Cy3/TR Cy5 Rotorgene 3000 FAM TET/JOE/VIC/YY MAX/ROX/Cy3/TR Cy5 DNA Engine Opticon 1 FAM DNA Engine Opticon 2 FAM TET/HEX/VIC/YY/TAMRA Chromo 4 FAM TET/JOE/VIC/YY ROX/TR Cy5 Smartcycler 1 FAM TET/JOE/VIC/YY TAMRA/Cy3/Alexa ROX/TR Smartcycler 2 FAM TET/Cy3/YY ROX/TR Cy5 Lightcycler FAM LC Red 640/ROX LC Red 705/Cy5 Lightcycler 2.0 FAM HEX/VIC/YY LC Red 610 LC Red 640 LC Red 670 LC Red 705 Quantica FAM TET/HEX/VIC/YY/TAMRA 22

23 Quencher has to fit fluorophore 23

24 Quencher has to fit fluorophore 24

25 High signal-to-noise ratio FAM BHQ1 TET BHQ1 NFQ NFQ TAMRA TAMRA Yakima Yellow BHQ1 NFQ BHQ1 leads to the highest signalto-noise ratios and is superior to TAMRA and NFQ (EDQ) 25

26 TAMRA or dark quenchers? 26

27 Synthesis probes Probes are synthesized starting from 3 end (quencher) Labelling process 5 end manual coupling via activated fluorophores and a C-6 spacer very pure oligos, but low yield 5 and internal labelling (only on dt residu) possible automatic coupling via labelled phosphoamidites high purity in cobination with high yield only 5 end labelling possiblek 27

28 Useful software and websites Design primers any primer design software (freeware on web) Oligo 6.0 (MedProbe for Europe) Primer 3.0 ( Design Taqman probes Primer Express (Applera) BeaconDesigner (Premier Biosoft Inc.) Design Molecular Beacons BeaconDesigner (Premier Biosoft Inc.) Design Scorpion primers Scorpio (DNA software) Verification of design Mfold ( BLAST ( A software is just a tool to help you, not a guarantee for the perfect design! 28

29 Useful sources of information Available on Frequently asked questions for RT qpcr and qpcr Troubleshooting guide for RT qpcr and qpcr Your one-stop-shop real-time PCR supplier (in your conference bag) 29